A. Wing Dam (Summer/Early Fall)—Key spots usually are riprap and wing dams if water is deep enough (ten feet or more) right against the bank in the most current-protected spot, where the wing dam meets the bank on the downriver side. Also check spots where spring floods lodge deadheads and brush against the upstream face of the structure.

B. Bridge Abutments (Summer/Early Fall)—In general, any bridge abutment or similar structure is worth investigating. The more irregular the surface, the better. Stone construction is better than concrete, and stone in conjunction with timber is better yet. Flat upstream faces are better than “V” shapes. Smooth concrete abutments, rounded at both ends, are the least likely to be productive. One of the most productive areas is where two bridges or a bridge and the abandoned pilings from a former bridge are within a few dozen yards of each other.

C. Piers/Docks (Summer)—A pier or dock set back from the force of the main river, but still with some depth, most likely holds fish. Timber in the water—pilings, cross members, and perhaps brush and deadheads lodged into the structure by floodwaters—almost serves as a wing dam, holding crappies even if exposed to the main river current. Avoid new docks, especially those constructed from pressure-treated wood which leaches arsenic into the water and resists the algae buildup that makes a dock attractive to baitfish and to crappies.

D. Oxbows (Spring)—Given their propensity to avoid current in the main river, crappies often gravitate to oxbows. In spring, treat oxbows as lakes, concentrating on shallower cover. If there’s a causeway across the oxbow, the riprap bank of the causeway can be dynamite prespawn crappie territory.

D. Oxbows (Summer)—Look for the deepest water in the oxbow. Generally, that means the upstream end and along the outside bank, where the original river channel flowed when the oxbow was still part of the river proper.

D. Oxbows (Fall/Winter)—The area of heaviest cover in more than 10 feet or so of water almost invariably attracts most of the crappies that make fulltime use of the oxbow, as well as fish from the main river that winter there.

E. Backwaters (Spring)—Ponds and other backwaters connected to the river should all be checked in spring. Cover is more important than depth—unless the whole thing is little more than a swamp—in determining the potential of a backwater for holding crappies. Immediately after ice-out, concentrate on the remains of last year’s weedgrowth.

E. Backwaters (Summer)—Concentrate on backwaters with some depth. Avoid weed-choked areas, as crappies seem to prefer some open water.

E. Backwaters (Fall/Winter)—The same backwaters that hold crappies during summer also hold them in fall, but expect fish to be more cover-oriented.

F. Marina Basins (Spring)—On big rivers, marinas usually offer what crappies need: Protection from current, either by a sea wall or a dredged-out basin off the river. Marinas built for larger boats invariably have adequate depth and lots of pilings. Concentrate on the pilings and docks along the bank.

F. Marina Basins (Summer)—Unless it’s a huge marina that might function as a self-contained environment, summer isn’t the best time to find crappies in a marina. Concentrate on mid-basin pilings and the entrance area that connects to the main river. Cut-back boat slips or boathouses along the main river are more productive, especially in conjunction with a small breakwall or wing dam, as in F1. These often serve as a holding area for groups of crappies during summer.

F. Marina Basins (Fall/Winter)—Large marina basins are among the best crappie spots in rivers once the water cools below 50°F. Early in the period, target pilings in the deepest water. As the water continues to cool, shift to areas with the most pilings, regardless of depth. Look for old sea walls and pier structures with downed timber, as opposed to newer pilings.